Something is wrong with these Elegia and going to return them. I don't doubt the capability of these drivers, and the research went into sound dampening for these Elegia, but someone at Focal forgot that headphones are meant for listening to music.
I wouldn't call these headphones bright or forward as much as they have a metallic sound and is anemic and lack fullness of sound. They produce the full frequency with precision, but no passion, I dunno how to say it, it's missing and lacking why I love to listen to music with headphones.
I'm trying really hard to like these, I am. I don't want to return headphones... but I've been listening to these for a few days now and it's not improving. I'm really trying to figure out what the reviewers who rave about them are hearing and wondering if they even listened to an Elegia. Trying to hear what they are raving about it and it's just not happening.
- Used probably half dozen different EQ with APO Equalizer + Peace now.
- Tried Sonar SoundID
- Listened via phone, laptop, Topping EX5, Audio-GD NFB11, Fulla2, Su8+EX5. This glorious sound they are raving about is not happening.
And when listening to hectic music like Beast in Black, it's just a barrage of sound and I can't enjoy the music. Listening to Amaranthe, the guitars just blends in with the cymbals and just like a wall. When the music slows, then it becomes wow these sound great. But when the chorus starts up again, it's ugh... what happened?
This occurs with EDM as well. If I'm listening to York The Awakening or Neelix You, I can hear everything clearly. But it has a metallic hollowness to it, it's not a full sound. And then when I listen to Infected Mushroom Eat it Raw latter half, it becomes a barrage wall of sound mess again. Craig Connelly Black Hole same deal, it's just a wall of sound, almost as if everything from high mids and onward is just one sound.
When I switch back to the HD58x or R70x I genuinely feel relief. Elegia have like a constant pressure, like it's just trying shove as much sound as it can. With my other headphones it's like OK, the music is now back to flowing, and I can hear everything again, I can hear that treble and mids are not just one wave. I can hear that fullness of the mid bass again. It's like comparing a enormous waterfall to a flowing river, the Elegia is the waterfall.
Sit back, relax and listen to some toons. I can't relax with Elegia, and it's not because I'm so excited and pumped, but feel like I'm being assaulted.